Feline rabies is a serious disease caused by the notorious rabies virus that is responsible for the disease in many outdoor animals and humans. Transmission is usually through the bite of an infected animal and the incubation period normally lasts a few weeks, although it can occasionally extend to months. However, once symptoms develop, there is no cure and the disease is invariably fatal. Therefore, it is important to be aware of this potentially lethal condition that can easily develop in indoor / outdoor pets.
Despite the fact that some regions of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, the British Isles and parts of Scandinavia, are free of this deadly virus, rabies is still prevalent in most places. In fact, it is endemic in certain countries. This is largely due to the widespread presence of the virus in local wildlife around most urban and rural population centers. Animals such as foxes, coyotes, wild cats and dogs, skunks, wolves, and bats are carriers of the rabies virus and are often the vectors of this disease when it is transmitted to our domestic cats, usually through a bite. Once the virus enters the bloodstream, it moves to the spinal cord and travels through the nervous system to attack the brain and cause drastic neurological and behavioral changes in the infected feline.
There are three main phases that cats (as well as other rabid animals) go through once the nervous system is under attack and symptoms appear. First is the prodromal phase. At this stage, the cat begins to show signs of abnormal behavior. There is often a fever and the feline is observed licking the sting site. Next is the well-known furious phase in which the cat becomes erratic and shows signs of aggression, restlessness, and hyperactivity. There may be bouts of paralysis at this stage. These attacks become more frequent in the subsequent paralytic phase. During this stage, the disease involves the peripheral nervous system. There is a paralysis of the nerves that prevents swallowing even water. Hence the hydrophobia and drooling of saliva. This is the final stage and its beginning in an indication that death is imminent. Often there is depression and he eats just before the poor animal passes away.
The horror of rage is amplified by the fact that it is often completely insidious before signs of the disease appear. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. Once the pathology becomes apparent, there is very little that can be done to save the cat. Due to the lethality of the virus, it is standard practice in many places to euthanize cats suspected of having rabies. The posthumous study of the brain of the infected animal is the conclusive test for the definitive diagnosis.
Therefore, it is important to get vaccinated quickly against feline rabies. Even if an unvaccinated cat has been exposed to the virus, it is imperative that the felid be vaccinated immediately. Because if the disease hasn’t spread yet, there’s a chance your pet will survive!
